Zvezda 6122 Soviet 122 mm Howitzer M1938 (M-30)

Howitzer M-30 wz.1938 caliber 122 mm is a Soviet towed howitzer, which was developed in 1938, and intended to replace the wz1909 and wz.1910 howitzers in the Red Army. Design work on it took several years. Ultimately, however, the M-30 howitzer of the FF Petrov project was put into mass production. Its production began on a large scale in 1940. In the years 1940-1955, over 19,000 were produced. copies of this weapon (of which 17.5 thousand in 1940-1945). In the course of World War II, it turned out to be one of the basic guns of the Red Army. She took part in all major battles on the Eastern Front. The M-30 howitzer was used to combat firearms of infantry and artillery, exposed and hidden manpower and field fortifications. If necessary, tanks could be fought off with HEAT shells. With its help, it was also possible to make passages in wire entanglements and minefields. Shooting could take place with direct and indirect fire, also for moving targets. The M-30 was used for many years after the war in many armies of the world, including the Polish Army, where it is still used today as a 122 mm towed howitzer wz. 1938/1985. It was also used as an armament for the SU-122 and SG-122 self-propelled guns. It is worth noting that the 122 mm howitzers wz. 38 captured during the war by German troops were accepted into service under the designation 12.2 cm sFH 396 (r). They were used as typical field guns and as coastal guns on the Atlantic Wall. Technical data: range: 11800 m, caliber: 121.92 mm, combat weight: 2350 kg, rate of fire: 5-6 rounds / min, initial velocity of the projectile: 515 m / s.